When you visit your favorite Mexican restaurant, your thoughts are primarily occupied by the food. And we totally understand that. After all, the food at Mexican restaurants like California Burritos is pretty great. But when you need a cold drink to stay cool this summer, we can give you that, too. One of our favorite summertime drinks is horchata, a sweet drink made with rice and cinnamon that is perfect to sip on a hot day. It’s also easy to make horchata at home, so you can enjoy authentic Mexican flavors whenever you like.
Can’t make it to your favorite Mexican restaurant? Try making this simple horchata recipe at home!
Authentic Mexican Horchata
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon if you can’t find sticks)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 12 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 8 cups warm water, divided
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Sugar to taste (optional)
- ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Rinse and drain the rice, then place it in a bowl with the cinnamon and 4 cups of water. Break the cinnamon sticks into large to medium-sized pieces to enhance the flavor. Let the rice and cinnamon soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. A longer soak time will result in a stronger flavor.
When the mixture is done soaking, remove the largest pieces of cinnamon and then pour the rice and water into a blender. Blend until it forms a smooth paste. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to blend it in two or three batches.
Strain the mixture with a very fine mesh strainer or some cheesecloth. Use a spoon or spatula to get as much liquid out of the mixture as possible. Stir in the evaporated and condensed milk, 4 cups of water, and the vanilla if you are using it. Congratulations, you’ve made horchata! Taste your horchata and add sugar if you’d like it sweeter or water if it’s too sweet. Chill the horchata and then serve it over ice with a garnish of ground cinnamon. Add a splash of rum for the boozy version, Rumchata!
